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Bryan Ho-Yan's avatar

Bryan Ho-Yan

City of Guelph - Community Race To Zero

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 447 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    30
    miles
    not traveled by car
  • UP TO
    20
    lightbulbs
    replaced
  • UP TO
    1.0
    energy audit
    conducted
  • UP TO
    20
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    3.0
    water collection systems
    installed
  • UP TO
    140
    gallons of water
    saved
  • UP TO
    1.0
    advocacy action
    completed
  • UP TO
    120
    minutes
    spent outdoors

Bryan's actions

Land, Water, and Air

Collect Rain Water

Rainwater collection reduces water waste and supports gardens. I will install a rain barrel or collect rainwater to use for 1 outdoor tasks, such as watering plants or cleaning.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land, Water, and Air

Reduce Food Waste

Wasting food also wastes water, energy, and resources. I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during the Ecochallenge, either because it went bad before I ate it, I put too much on my plate, or it was scraps from food preparation, and commit to reducing my food waste throughout the challenge.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Sustainable Innovation

Explore Alternative Transportation Options

I will explore alternatives to using a car — such as walking, biking, carpooling, micro-mobility options, or public transit to reduce my carbon footprint. I will use alternative transit 1 miles per day.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Land, Water, and Air

Calculate My Carbon Impact

Knowing our carbon footprint is the first step to reducing it. I will calculate my carbon impact and identify lifestyle changes that could reduce the carbon footprint and impacts on the environment. I will share my commitments to lowering my impact on the feed.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land, Water, and Air

Conduct a Home Energy Audit

Reducing energy use helps protect the air and climate. I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy and reduce pollution.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land, Water, and Air

Take Shorter Showers

Conserving water helps protect this precious resource. I will shorten my showers to 5 minutes to save water and reduce energy use - each time saving up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water!

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Land, Water, and Air

Join a Cleanup Effort

Working together to clean up public spaces helps the environment and builds community. I will participate in 1 community cleanup efforts in my neighborhood or local area.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community and Connection

Explore My Area

Discovering what’s nearby fosters a deeper connection to my community. I will explore 3 new places in my area, such as parks, historical sites, or local businesses.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Sustainable Innovation

Replace Old Bulbs with LED Bulbs

Energy-efficient lighting is a bright idea. I will replace 5 incandescent light bulbs with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Sustainable Innovation

Choose a Product Made with Sustainable Materials

Every choice matters. I will purchase or switch to products made from sustainable or recycled materials to support innovation and reduce environmental impact.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Sustainable Innovation

Advocate For Better Food Packaging

When companies and governments make large-scale changes to their products and practices, it makes sustainability more accessible to the masses, in turn creating further demand for sustainable products, and the cycle continues. I will advocate for improved, sustainable food packaging through petitions, letters, or by supporting brands that prioritize eco-friendly packaging - and share my advocacy actions on the feed.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health and Well-Being

Enjoy the Outdoors for 30 Minutes

Studies have shown that when we spend consistent time in nature, our health improves, our creativity increases, and our connection to the planet gets stronger. Each day of the Ecochallenge, I will spend 30 minutes outside, then share my observations, reflections, and learnings on the feed.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.

To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?


  • Bryan Ho-Yan's avatar
    Bryan Ho-Yan 4/26/2025 9:30 PM
    Was so happy to see so many out today for a community tree planting! Way to go Guelph! Thanks to Trees for Guelph for organizing, we had lots of fun get our hands on the dirt! Check out one of our trees we planted!

    • LITTY PHILIP's avatar
      LITTY PHILIP 4/26/2025 9:36 PM
      • TEAM CAPTAIN
      • Climate Advocate 🌱
      • 17-DAY STREAK
      Its a nice pic
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Health and Well-Being
    What did you observe or experience while spending time outside, and how did it affect you? How does connecting with nature enhance your physical and mental well-being?

    Bryan Ho-Yan's avatar
    Bryan Ho-Yan 4/10/2025 7:06 PM
    My wife encouraged me to join her for the morning walk and we went around the nearby trails. Saw and heard a few woodpeckers! That made my day! Unfortunately also saw a few more cut trees... Probably because of ash borer.
    Hats off to the trails maintenance teams. The trails in Guelph are top notch and really save me... Even on those cold days when I may be a bit reluctant to go out!

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Sustainable Innovation
    What actions did you take to advocate for sustainable food packaging, and how were they received? How do you think widespread changes in food packaging could benefit the planet?

    Bryan Ho-Yan's avatar
    Bryan Ho-Yan 4/09/2025 7:05 PM
    Like many others, I enjoy a cuppa coffee.... I set rule though. I can only get a coffee if it's in a reusable mug. Think about It, when's the last time you past by a garbage can and didn't see a disposable coffee cup or lid?
    Unfortunately sometimes when I order a coffee in a travel mug, I get told they can't do it or the coffee is poured into a disposable mug then into my travel mug. When this happens I ask if this could be done a different way with no waste.... Also, those surveys on the receipts really come in handy as a way to give constructive feedback to reduce waste.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Sustainable Innovation
    What did you learn when exploring alternatives to using a car? If you were able to try an alternative, what did you try? How did using alternative transportation impact your daily routine and your perspective on reducing emissions?

    Bryan Ho-Yan's avatar
    Bryan Ho-Yan 4/09/2025 6:52 PM
    I biked today. A nice cold and clear morning helps clear the head too. On the way back I took a route that goes along the Speed River. It was great seeing people out and about spending time with others. As for reducing emissions, it feels pretty sweet to get to places by people power... Also kinda nice to catch up to and ride by cars stuck in traffic
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land, Water, and Air
    How did shortening your showers affect your awareness of water conservation? What other water-saving practices can you adopt in your daily routine?

    Bryan Ho-Yan's avatar
    Bryan Ho-Yan 4/08/2025 7:56 PM
    At home we have a sand timer that we got from the City years ago. Its fantastic for keeping one honest with shower times!

    Being in Guelph, the largest ground water community in Canada, really emphasizes the importance of water for me because we have to make sure we don't waste it, keep it pristine, and let it recharge.

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land, Water, and Air
    What did you discover during your energy audit that you weren’t aware of before? What steps will you take to reduce energy use, and how will they benefit both the environment and your household?

    Bryan Ho-Yan's avatar
    Bryan Ho-Yan 4/07/2025 6:50 PM
    I did a couple of energy audits, the latest one was a couple of years ago. Before doing it I was pretty set on changing up my windows to help seal the heat in. The energy auditor really helped and informed me that the windows were in decent condition and that biggest bang for buck for reducing GHG emissions was changing the natural gas furnace to a heat pump.... best move ever! Heating is so much more even, including in the basement (where I often work). Still blows my engineering mind how something can be ~300% efficient!

  • Bryan Ho-Yan's avatar
    Bryan Ho-Yan 4/07/2025 6:45 PM
    Tuned up the ol' bike ride this past weekend and it was smooth sailing on my commute this morning. The sunshine really helped too!
    While I was cleaning my bike I couldn't believe how much gunk built up over time, and with a little bit of TLC it'll help my ride last longer (confession, I neglected my old bike and had to replace it a couple of years ago... at least I'm learning).

    • Ella Arce's avatar
      Ella Arce 4/07/2025 7:19 PM
      • Plant Parent 🪴
      • 16-DAY STREAK
      Some lessons are learned the hard way. I've also had to buy something new because I didn't maintain it well. Great job doing the work now!

    • Christine O'Neill's avatar
      Christine O'Neill 4/07/2025 6:56 PM
      • Book Lover 📚
      Good for you! Mainenance is really key to conservation, isn't it? These are the lessons we learn for real. I have had the same experience, of needing to replace something for lack of care of it. It can be painful.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land, Water, and Air
    An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Where would you rather use this money? What patterns did you notice in the food you threw away, and how can you address them?

    Bryan Ho-Yan's avatar
    Bryan Ho-Yan 4/02/2025 4:18 PM
    It hurts me to see yummy food wasted. Lots of energy, water, and love goes into food... from farm to plate!